Park View Community Primary

Park View Community Primary Inspection report

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135279 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 329071 Inspection number 11–12 February 2009 Inspection dates Carmen Markham Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 259 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Rouch Chair Mr John Tennant Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Nelson Street School address Miles Platting Manchester M40 8FE 0161 205 1968 Telephone number 0161 205 6756 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 11–12 February 2009 Inspection dates 329071 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Park View Community Primary School opened in September 2007 following the amalgamation of two local schools. It is currently located on the site of one of these schools while a new school is being built. This larger than average primary school draws pupils from an area where there is some significant social and economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is in line with the national average; most of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above the national average. The school admits children into full-time education from the age of three into its Early Years Foundation Stage provision. The school has a Healthy Schools Award and has been awarded Investors in People.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. There are strengths in relation to the good personal development and well-being of pupils, their good care, guidance and support, the provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the very effective use made by the school of local partnerships to promote pupils' well-being. Parents are pleased with the way the school cares for their children and the progress they make. The governors, leadership team and staff have been very effective in developing a new community school, with a strong inclusive ethos and good learning environment, from two local schools that served different communities. The team's ability to involve the community in the development of the new school resulted in this successful amalgamation. Much has been achieved in the 18 months since the opening of the school, in relation to the creation of working teams, the establishment of policies and procedures and the development of a unique school

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Grade: 3

culture that has a high regard for community cohesion. However, there has been insufficient time for standards to rise significantly and for the rate of pupils' progress to accelerate. The effectiveness of the school's leadership is satisfactory. It has been limited by staffing issues, created by the amalgamation, that are still in the process of being resolved. The school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. Continuing inconsistency in the quality of teaching and the underdeveloped role of subject managers limits progress. The school provides satisfactory value for money. Achievement in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. Until 2008, when pupils from the new Early Years Foundation Stage entered Year 1, many pupils started Key Stage 1 with skills that were below expectations for their age. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through school. Overall standards are a little below average at the end of both key stages,

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Grade: 3

particularly in English where underdeveloped skills in speaking and listening limit the development of writing. Standards throughout school are just below average in mathematics but average in science. Satisfactory teaching overall leads to pupils making satisfactory progress. There is much good teaching in school, but none is outstanding and there is evidence of satisfactory teaching in some classes. Teachers plan lessons well, assess pupils' progress and ensure that they meet the needs of different groups of pupils effectively. They make good use of resources and relationships are excellent. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop as independent learners and teachers' questioning does not always extend pupils' thinking skills. Meanwhile, the satisfactory curriculum also fails to enrich these aspects of learning, since useful links are not made between different subjects, particularly in Key Stage 2. Pupils are adequately

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Grade: 3

prepared to support their future economic well-being. Most pupils are very enthusiastic about their learning; they enjoy school and behave well. They respond well to the responsibilities they are given and, through the school council, they are involved in making decisions that will affect them. They are very knowledgeable about how the new school building is being planned and they understand how finance can limit facilities. Pupils know how to stay safe and the actions they need to take to improve their work. Most pupils attend school regularly but a very small number of pupils miss more than 20% of school through absence which significantly limits their progress. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Grade: 2

Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills well below the expectations for typical three-year-olds. They make good progress, in relation to their starting points, in all areas of learning and they are currently achieving in line with national expectations. Good leadership and management ensure that teaching and planning takes account of the abilities and specific needs of all children. There are excellent relationships between adults and children. Organised routines and learning activities help children settle in well. Their behaviour and attitudes are excellent. The quality of care and support is outstanding. Children's welfare is given top priority and this is an important key in helping them to flourish and feel safe. It also results in outstanding personal, social and emotional development. A good start has been made on helping parents to support their children's leaning.

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Grade: 2

Staff plan activities well and make good use of outdoor provision. Children move safely and enthusiastically between activities. Good use is made of outside agencies to enrich the curriculum. Teaching assistants provide good support to all children including those with additional needs. As a result, children quickly grow in confidence. Teachers maintain a good balance between teaching children new skills and encouraging them to explore a good range of resources to nurture their independence. Staff are skilled in helping children to gain an increasingly broad understanding across all areas of learning. However, questioning is not used effectively enough to encourage children to speak in sentences and to talk about what gains they have made in their learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the consistency and quality of teaching to raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics. ■ Review and develop the curriculum to develop basic and creative skills and a more independent approach to learning. ■ Implement more rigorous procedures to reduce the level of persistent absence.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged as satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

In the past, pupils joining Year 1 have not had the benefit of the current good Early Years Foundation Stage provision that the new school has developed. On entry to Year 1 their skills in reading, writing and mathematics have been below, and sometimes well below, expectations for their age. They currently make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1, enabling most to reach standards that are below average in reading, writing and just below average in mathematics by the end of Year 2. Their attainment in science is in line with national expectations. This satisfactory progress continues in Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 6 standards are broadly average in reading, below average in writing, just below average in mathematics and above average in science. However, throughout the school too few pupils attain the higher levels. The achievement of all pupils, regardless of gender, ethnicity and additional needs, is

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Grade: 3

satisfactory. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Grade: 2

The majority of pupils enjoy school, have positive attitudes to learning and do their best in lessons. Behaviour is good; most pupils are punctual and attend school regularly, although there is a small group of persistent poor attenders. Relationships are very positive, with pupils being courteous and respecting both adults and peers. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Experiences in school and activities like the music, art and Islamic workshops and the Kiwi club enhance pupils' social and economic skills and foster a growing understanding of their place in the wider world. They have a good understanding of local and wider global communities. Pupils know how to stay healthy by eating well and taking exercise. The majority of pupils engage very readily in the sporting activities provided by the school. Pupils feel safe in school and know about dangers out of school. They make a good contribution

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Grade: 2

to the school community through the very effective school council and the many responsibilities they are given as playground buddies, pals and school wardens.

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Grade: 3

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and usually enjoy their lessons as relationships are very good. They want to succeed and they value the praise, rewards and encouragement that their efforts bring. Teachers' planning is usually good and it meets the wide range of pupils' needs. Teachers regularly assess pupils' work to inform their planning and to check pupils' progress. Marking is informative. Pupils have targets so that they know how well they are doing and how to improve their work. Good use is made of a range of resources, including information and communication technology (ICT). However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. In the best lessons expectations are high and pupils are fully involved in their learning. In weaker lessons where instructions are unclear, questioning does not challenge thinking, teaching assistants have not been fully briefed on their role and pupils find it hard to concentrate and

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets pupils' needs in English, mathematics and science, but lacks breadth and richness. Around the school, pupils' work on display reflects this. The number of resource walls produced by adults, such as lists of grammar and spelling, far outweigh the number of displays showing pupils' creative work. There are also too few links between subjects and, as a result, pupils' basic skills are not sufficiently developed. ICT is used in many areas of learning but work to develop this area is just beginning and its impact on learning is inconsistent. The curriculum is effectively enriched by visits and visitors. During the inspection Year 5 pupils were clearly enlightened by their experience of World of Islam. A rich variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs provide popular activities like sport, music, cooking and dancing. The very well attended drop-in breakfast club has a positive impact on learning by ensuring that pupils are alert and

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Grade: 3

nourished at the start of the school day. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Grade: 2

All pupils are well cared for. Adults work diligently to ensure that pupils' emotional and social needs are well met in a secure and caring environment. Safeguarding procedures, including those for child protection, meet requirements. Pupils' progress is effectively monitored so that those requiring additional help are quickly identified and good intervention procedures are quickly implemented. Good links with parents and external agencies ensure that pupils who find learning difficult, whatever the reason, are very well supported. The daily breakfast club is well run. Pupils all know how well they are doing in relation to the development of basic skills and they are all aware of how to improve their work. Most teachers make good use of written marking to remind pupils about the next steps for learning and there are examples of highly effective marking in some year groups. The school works hard to improve attendance and pupils

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Grade: 2

know how important it is to attend school. However, a small, albeit declining, group of persistent absentees remains.

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Grade: 3

The dedicated and able headteacher, his leadership team and the governors have a very clear vision for this new school and the role it will play in the community. They have worked hard, evaluated the school's needs very effectively and identified the correct priorities for development. The impact of these priorities is already clearly visible in the positive and inclusive ethos that pervades the school and the support of parents and the community. Although the new school building is not complete, a new school is emerging built on firm foundations of trust and shared values. The Investors in People Award illustrates the new school's success in working as a team, while the effective Early Years Foundation Stage that has developed illustrates the team's ability to bring about successful change. The leadership team has done much work to raise standards by assessing and tracking pupils' progress and monitoring the

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Grade: 3

practice of teachers in order to improve performance. However, although standards are improving, it is too early to see the full impact of this work. The school is aware that some aspects of teaching require improvement before significant progress can be made in relation to standards. Good governance has played a very positive and significant role in the development of the school. Governors have a very good knowledge of the needs of the school and the community and have been crucial to the successful introduction of the parents' association and the growing mutual understanding of all interested groups. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Park View Community Primary School, Miles Platting, M40 8FE On behalf of the inspection team I would like to thank you for making us so welcome in your school. You were all very helpful and polite and displayed a lot of enthusiasm for your work. I admired the beautiful displays of your work, particularly the displays on poetry on the senses. I also enjoyed talking to you and finding out about your school council and how you have all been involved in the plans for your new school. I was very impressed by all your targets displayed around the school and how well you understand what you need to do to improve your work. I think that your headteacher and the staff all work hard to make your school effective. You attend a satisfactory school with some good features. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to a really good start. The staff look after you very well and you feel safe and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

happy in school. You make satisfactory progress in lessons; overall standards are a little below average. Teachers make sure that they involve you in a lot of interesting activities and visits including the Year 6 residential visit to Ghyll Head in the Lake District. Your behaviour is good so you are able to listen and learn. We noticed that you take very good care of each other so you can all enjoy school. Most of you attend school regularly and arrive on time but a few of you have too much time off school. You also know how to stay healthy and safe and make the most of all the exciting activities the school provides before and after school, including all the musical and sport activities that so many of you take part in. One of the reasons for my visit was to see how your school can improve. I have asked the school to improve the quality of teaching so that you can do better in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To help you to develop and use you skills better, I have suggested that the school should improve the curriculum. Finally, I have requested that the school takes some actions to improve the attendance of the few pupils who do not attend regularly. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Park View Community Primary, 11–12 February 2009

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